The Story They Never Knew
by KaylaDestroyer
Summary: It was a hardness Manny and Sid had only glimpsed. A depression Crash, Eddie, and Ellie had never known. A cruelty Peaches couldn't imagine. A reason they were never told, and a startling background they never knew.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! So, I know you're all, probably going to be pretty mad at me for this, but I worked on it for a long time and I really wanted to put this idea out there. Well, actually, it could have only been a week or two, not actually that long. Maybe less. I'm not quite sure how long it will be yet, But not more than a few chapters, hopefully. Please read, review, and enjoy! Note: Heavy drama, and a little gore.

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><p>Soto looked down at his son proudly. The light orange cub was attempting his first steps about two hours after opening his eyes. The cub's baby blue orbs focused on the ground for a moment, as he steadied his paws. He lifted one foot and gently placed it a few inches forward. Then did the same thing with one of his back paws. He continued the process slowly and erratically, but was soon maintaining a steady walk. Soto walked slowly alongside him, watching him carefully.<p>

His offspring suddenly tripped over his own paws and landed on the ground with a squeak. It was still for a while, surprised at the new experience of falling. Soto chuckled and nudged the tiny body up once more with his nose. "Come on son, you can do it." he encouraged softly, aware of the infant's delicate ears and fear of loud noise. After looking at him for a moment, the child attempted walking on his own once more. Soto smiled proudly as they exited the birthing den. His mate, Tamalia, was waiting with the rest of the pack.

She smiled proudly as her only child half strutted half stumbled out of the cave. Soto, as the father, was designated to help all the male cubs his mate bore to walk, as it was Tamalia's job to help all female cubs she bore to walk. The cub spotted his mother, and gave an innocent smile. Gurgling, he made his way directly to her. Mothers were always introduced to their children first on the day they discovered sight, regardless of their gender. Soto's son knew who his mother was, and was eager to curl against her warm belly. Tamalia smiled with motherly joy as her newborn son toddled up to her and gave her a toothless grin.

She lay down and allowed him to curl against her stomach. He eagerly pressed against her and began to suckle. Soto approached them and licked the infant's head tenderly, earning an annoyed squeak. He chuckled in response. He raised his head and looked at the rest of the pack, which stared back at him eagerly. Once his son had had his fill, Soto reached down and pulled him into a sitting position. The cub looked up at him, and then at the other sabers that, to his young mind, stared at him in a hilarious way, causing him to giggle and wag his short tail.

"My pack," Soto said loudly. "as your leader, and a new father, I present my son, and heir to the leadership of our pack. My son," he glanced down at the young cub, which he had drawn the attention of. "Diego." A clamor of roars arose from the crowd in welcome to the newest member of the pack. Diego's eyes snapped to the sound of the roars, and his tiny eyes widened in surprise and fascination. After a while, the roars died down, and Diego randomly stood and began walking.

The adults parted to let him through the throng, with Tamalia and Soto close behind their son. Diego walked right through the crowd to a patch of flora behind them all. Then he promptly lay down and rolled over on his back. He rubbed into the grass happily, gurgling. Soto, after puzzling for a moment, smiled as he recognized the plant his son was so eagerly rolling in. Catnip. He laughed aloud and picked Diego up, cradling him against his chest.

"Such a sensitive nose for so young." he said. Diego giggled and reached up, batting a paw at his father's face. The family returned to their den, and Diego once more curled up against his mother to suckle. Soto smiled proudly at his offspring; his eldest child, the one that would assume the position of leader in the future. He lovingly nuzzled Diego, and then lay down across from his mate. Life seemed perfect for his pack, but little did he know, things were about to take an interesting turn.

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><p>Diego was now a week old, and his eyes had yet to show even the slightest flecks of green. He pranced through the grass after a butterfly, under the supervision of his father's Beta's mate. She currently had her own three cubs to look after, all of them a little older than Diego. "Oscar, Lenny, Zeke, I want you three to watch Diego while I go find your father." Mestura said. Her boys nodded.<p>

"Yes mummy." they chorused. Their mother smiled and nodded, before turning and leaving. The three turned to their ward, who was currently trying to sniff the butterfly he had clamped underneath one paw. Oscar grinned. "Don'tcha' know what to do with a butterfly Diego?" he asked. The small cub looked up at him in curiosity. Oscar took two claws and gripped the butterfly's wing, pulling it out from underneath the child's paw. Lenny and Zeke came over as well.

"Say 'ah'?" Lenny encouraged, opening his mouth wide. Diego copied him. Oscar then put the insect in Diego's mouth and closed it. Diego's eyes widened as the bug fluttered around in his mouth, then giggled at the soft feeling of its wings on his gums.

"Now swallow it." Zeke said. With some difficulty, Diego pushed the insect down his throat. "Does it taste good?" Diego nodded eagerly.

"Come on," Oscar said. "we know where to find a whole bunch of those things." Diego eagerly followed his peers off into the fields, giggling excitedly at the prospect of getting to eat more of something that tasted so good. He had only ever tasted his mother's milk, and insects seemed like the next big thing to have a diet of to him. But, as all cubs his age, he was distracted by something along the way. A grasshopper had caught his eye, and he was eager to examine it. But as he tried to sniff it, it leapt into the air and a good few inches away.

Diego murmured in awe, and then leapt at the insect, landing behind it and attempting to sniff it once more. This game continued for a long while, with Diego laughing and pouncing at the terrified little bug. Suddenly, he crashed into something big, and tall. He looked up to see a large creature that he had never seen before. He smiled and gurgled up at it. The thing turned and looked down at him. He jumped from side to side, before crouching down, begging for it to play with him.

The creature was standing on two legs, and reached down to little Diego. It lifted the cub up with both of its hands, earning excited wiggling and squealing from the animal. It smiled at Diego and cradled him against its chest, then turned and began walking off. Diego gurgled and batted at the creature's face in curiosity. It responded by stroking Diego's face and rubbing his little belly. Diego was slightly surprised, but happily snuggled into the creature. He had never experienced such a feeling as someone rubbing his stomach, but he liked it.

After a while, they entered a large group of tall creatures. Diego giggled and gazed around in awe, wriggling around and trying to get out of the grip of his current ride. He was finally set down amongst a group of large dogs. His father had spoken of them before, so he recognized the wolves easily. There were only females and their cubs, but Diego didn't care. One of them walked up to him, and the two sniffed each other curiously. Diego then, deciding he had found a worthy playmate, pounced on the pup.

The two wrestled for a while, before a group of the large creatures came and began picking up all the pups. Diego was lifted up again as well, and brought inside one of the large triangular shaped things. He was set on the ground once more, but this time he was held in the person's grip as he waited. He squirmed fruitlessly, wanting to play with the other rough-housing pups. Finally, after all the wolf pups had left, he was set in one of the creature's laps. He smiled up at it and pawed playfully. The creature smiled and gently stroked his ears, before lifting him up and laying him on his side.

Using one of its oddly shaped paws, it applied gently pressure to his exposed side, stopping the cub from escaping. Diego felt something wet on the side of his neck, and tried to reach his nose around to sniff it, but the creature kept his head on the ground as well. Diego suddenly felt strange, like his neck had disappeared. Something softly poked it, and then the large creature gently patted his head. He was then carried out of the triangular dwelling by another creature, and set back with the other pups. Smiling, he went to play once more, but stopped. His neck was no longer gone, but something was irritating it.

He pawed at it, and felt something soft in his fur. He continued to paw at it, until a smaller version of the large creatures came up to him and reached down to pick him up. He lay down on his side, exposing where his neck was irritated and whined pleadingly. The little creature only giggled and lifted him into the air, then cradled him against their chest. It rubbed Diego's' belly, which soothed the saber cub, and then kissed his forehead. Then it set him back down and walked over to one of the wolf pups. Many of the small creatures examined him this way, and Diego resorted to many different ways of communicating a plead for help. He lay on his back, sat and whined, and even yipped like the other cubs did.

But no one removed the irritation. Finally, Diego retreated from everyone, and curled up in one corner. "Maaama!" he called out in despair, willing his mother to appear and get rid of the irritation herself. "Maaama! Maaama! _Maaaaaama_!"

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><p>Tamalia found Mestura and her mate talking on the sunning rocks. "Mestura, where's Diego?" she asked, walking up to them.<p>

"Oh, I left my boys in charge of him. I should probably get back to them now." The three adults made their way to where the four boys had been left, but were shocked to see none of them. They caught the cubs' scent, and found Mestura's boys in a field of butterflies. "Boys, where's Diego?" The three cubs looked around, and then stared up at the adults in terror.

"W-we thought he was with us." Oscar replied. Tamalia retraced their steps and found Diego's scent trail leading off in another direction. They soon came across a human camp, causing the distraught mother to gasp. Before she could charge down the hill, Mestura blocked her.

"Tamalia, wait! We need Soto!" she reasoned. "Disduro, go get him!" she commanded her mate, who nodded and sprinted off. Tamalia tried to force her way past the Beta female.

"My baby!" she protested. Mestura looked her in the eye.

"Tamalia, listen to me! If I was in your position, I'd feel the same way, but we _have_ to _wait_! I doubt Soto will take long to-" She was interrupted by a booming voice.

"Where is my son?" Soto demanded. Tamalia turned to him.

"His scent leads into the human village!" she answered. Without another word, the four adults charged down into the human encampment, with the two Alpha's in the lead. They announced their presence with loud roars, and instantly began scouring the village for the young cub. Tamalia's ears soon received a small but familiar noise: "_Maaama! Maaama!_" She turned in the direction of the sound. "This way!"

Now the humans were seeing them as a threat, and bringing out their spears. Soto and Disduro fended them off while Tamalia and Mestura continued on to find Diego.

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><p>After calling for a long time, Diego finally saw his mother break through the human throng and run towards him. He smiled with glee and ran out to meet her. She stopped and held him close to her belly for a moment, before gripping him in her jaws. She then ran out of the human village, and all the way back home to the den. He was happy, finally in his own home, and snuggled up to her once she had set him on the floor. By now he was terribly hungry, and suckled as she sat on the ground. She put one paw underneath his behind and lifted him up some to ease the strain of reaching up to her nipples.<p>

She stroked him gently and muttered, "Sh, it's alright my little one, we're home now, you're safe. Momma's here." She lay on the ground, and Diego copied her. After drinking his fill, he curled up against her, and slept.

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><p>Tamalia held her son close as he slept, then proceeded to lick him. But her tongue came across something foreign to her son's body. She was surprised to find a feather in her son's fur; a very long one, with a yellow and white bulls eye pattern. It looked tainted by the humans, and she attempted to dislodge it from Diego's fur. He gave a squeak of pain, however, and she stopped in surprise. After calming him down, she further inspected the feather, and how it was entangled in his fur. But the truth horrified her.<p>

"No." she whispered. She gently gripped Diego in her jaws and carried him out to see his father and Disduro just returning from the human camp. Soto looked over and made his way to her, taking Diego and gently cradling him, smiling with relief. "Soto." she whispered. He glanced up at her, and she pointed out the feather. "It's...the humans..." she stopped and put her head down.

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><p>Soto confusedly looked down at the feather. Moving away the curved sideburns on the side of his son's head, he saw how it was attached. One end of the feather had been fashioned to a small, bone hook, which was lodged into the flesh on his son's neck. But not very deep; just about under his skin, but it was firmly in there. Soto grimaced; he had watched the humans for many years, and he knew their ways. This was a marking tactic they used on their pet wolves; they would hook the feather in when the cubs were about Diego's age, and let them grow with it under their skin, allowing their flesh to bury the hook deeper and deeper as the animal grew. They had obviously decided that Diego, being all alone when they found him, was just as good as a wolf pup.<p>

He gently placed Diego in his jaws and made his way over to their den, with Tamalia trailing behind him. He went to the very back, and lay down on his belly with Diego in between his forelegs. Diego smiled and giggled and batted his front paws up at his father's face, laid out on his back, as though nothing were wrong. But Soto knew why he wasn't aware. The humans had a special liquid concoction for numbing their bodies if need be, and it was that same liquid they used to deaden the feeling in the pups' necks so they could hook the feather in without any retaliation. It lasted for hours, and by that time, the pups would be used to the feeling of the hook, and have no problem with it. He couldn't let that happen to his little Diego, couldn't allow him to grow up marked as human property, because he wasn't.

He had instructed Tamalia to stay out a little closer to the cave entrance, so they could be alone. He gently turned Diego over on his side, and weighted him down with his paw so he wouldn't be able to squirm. Diego however was frightened by the action, and wriggled around anyway. "Sh, it's okay Diego. Daddy's gonna' get the feather out, and you'll be so much happier." As if he could understand what his father was saying, Diego pawed at the feather once more in irritation. Soto gently removed the tiny paw.

"Yes, Daddy's gonna' make that go away." he said softly. Then he closed his eyes, and allowed a few tears to fall. He opened them again and looked back at Diego. There was no way he could get the hook out without bloodshed, but he sincerely didn't want to cause his only child to suffer. "Oh Diego, Daddy's...so sorry, that this will hurt. But I love you and I can't let you stay like this." he murmured. He lifted the feather with one paw, and Diego looked up at him.

Soto felt another tear roll down his cheek. "You're gonna' be alright Diego." he said, and then gripped the feather in his jaws. Squeezing his eyes shut, he jerked his head, ripping the hook out a bit loudly. But it wasn't as loud or as heart wrenching as the scream that reverberated out from Diego's tiny maw. He instantly began sobbing, tears staining his face as his blood stained the floor. Soto spat the feather out and began licking his son's wound clean hurriedly but gently. Diego's cries were soon reduced to whimpers, and he curled against his father.

Soto could feel his own tears leaking out as his baby's body shook and bled. He took one paw and pressed Diego's tiny body to his chest, licking his neck tenderly. A few moments later, Tamalia appeared, looking slightly frazzled. Soto looked solemnly up at her. She hurriedly came over, and leaned down in front of him, pushing her nose against his legs to get a sniff at Diego. He spread his forelegs and allowed her to take Diego into her embrace.

"Oh." she said with a sigh, staring at Diego sadly. She held him against her chest as tiny whimpers were heard. "Is he okay?"

"He'll be alright. The longer we had left it in there, the worse it would have been to get it out. We did the right thing, taking it out as soon as possible." Soto replied. Tamalia nodded, and shifted Diego down to her teats. The cub eagerly began nursing, his whimpers slowly disappearing. Tamalia licked him lovingly.

"It's alright my baby, Daddy fixed it, and you're okay now. My little one." Soto stared at his son sadly, before gently picking him up and cradling him against his chest. The cub stared up at him through sleepy, half lidded eyes.

"I love you son." he said softly, stroking the cub's teeny face. "My little Diego."

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><p>Months had passed. Diego was now a teenager. It was interesting really, to see him with his older peers, below his rank. An alpha's son following after the capricious, teenage whims of older, beta ranking boys was sometimes annoying. But Soto tried to keep himself under control. Sometimes, he could mistake Diego for an older saber than Lenny, Zeke, or even Oscar. He always took his fathers reprimanding and teachings like a mature adult, while the other boys complained and fussed.<p>

Diego knew, however, why he needed to act like a higher rank. His father had always told him that he would undertake the responsibility of leading the entire pack one day, and that hopefully the pack would be much larger under his ruling. So he did his best to make sure his father saw him as worthy material. Soto was very pleased with his son's performance, and saw the most potential in his son, even more than his mother. Diego had a strategic mind, was cunning, and had all the wonderful, biting sarcasm he had been raised with. His smart replies to questions made Soto smile. He often took a tussle with the teenager, and usually beat him, making sure the teen always had something to learn.

The family was in a large field, rolling around and playing with each other, the way families are supposed to. But suddenly, Soto felt something, just out of his peripheral senses, another presence. He gently began herding his family back towards the dens. "What's going on dad?" Diego asked. Soto looked back. There were figures on the horizon.

"Diego... go home. Tell everyone to take shelter." he replied. Diego looked from his father to his mother. Tamalia followed Soto's line of sight, and gave a small gasp.

"Mom? Dad? What's going on?" he asked. He was clearly concerned, his playful attitude already replaced by a worried one. Tamalia turned to her son, and embraced him, holding his head against her chest.

"Listen to your father, Diego." she whispered. Diego pressed himself against her, relishing her warmth and comfort.

"Yes mother." he whispered back. He pulled away, and Tamalia held his face in her paws. His teeth were almost full length, and he had a strong build, promising to become an able male, even though he was still quite stick like. But that was only natural at thirteen.

"We love you baby." she said.

"I love you too." Diego replied, then turned and sprinted off to the pack grounds. Tamalia watched him wistfully for a moment, before turning to Soto. He was still staring straight, and the figures were quite distinguishable now. He took her paws in his, and turned to her.

"If worst comes to worst, follow him. _Protect him._" he said. Tamalia nodded.

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><p>Diego reached the pack grounds panting heavily. "Everyone!" he announced loudly. Although their pack was considerably small, he still felt a little self conscious under their gaze. "We have enemies on the horizon. My father requested I tell you all to take shelter and prepare to defend yourselves." The members of the pack instantly scattered to their respective dens, herding the other three teens especially into safety. Diego oversaw them all, before trotting quickly to his own den, and getting as far back into it as possible.<p>

Sabers, aware of humans and their tendency to live close to saber territory, due to food resources, made dens that were really in the very backs of caves and usually tunneled down for many feet before opening out into a large cavern, all dug and cleared out by the new inhabitants. Most predators considered it a very un-carnivorous trait, and compared them to other burrowing creatures when it came to discussing homes. But the sabers could not be dissuaded from such an activity; throughout the years, they had learned that humans attack in the largest groups possible, and when one lives near them, it is wise to be prepared for numerous, seasonal even, attacks. They often lived in the caves that preceded their dens, but on harsh winter nights they would move back into the warm, packed earth. During an attack, the females and offspring retreated as far as they could into the underground dens while all able bodied males fended off whatever threatened them. Even now, Diego could hear the three lower ranking adult males in the pack walking above his head, preparing to defend. Besides his father, there was the Beta Male, Disduro, and then two 'common ranking' males, twin brothers named Sonacka and Briseurio.

Normally, Diego and the three Beta boys would be included in the fight, but if Diego was not allowed to participate, he knew that Oscar, Lenny, and Zeke were to retreat as well. The only female allowed to join the fight was the alpha's mate, in this case; Tamalia. Diego felt his heart tremble at the thought of his mother, the most important female in his life, risking her life in such a situation. His father was the largest saber in the pack, and the most cunning, and had the most endurance. His mother was the only one in between Soto and Diego when it came to physical conditions and how much brains one had. His ear suddenly twitched, and not a moment later, the human war cries of the attacking party could be heard in his small cavern of dirt. He shuddered for a moment, before the roars of the males rang though his head, and he smiled.

They were followed by an almighty roar that Diego recognized as his father stating to the humans that he would not back down. The sounds of battle ensued, and Diego's tail flicked restlessly as he heard the cries of pain and snarls that ripped from above so clearly. His mind attempted to calculate how many were wounded on each side, and who therefore was winning. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before the wails and yelps outweighed the human cries. His heart beat faster with fear and worry, desperately hoping that both his parents would be spared in this battle. Finally, he decided that he could no longer sit and wait like a small child. He was a good fighter, and they needed all the help that was available.

He practically clawed his way up the tunnel, the sounds becoming louder and terrifyingly distinct. When he finally came upon the battle scene, he was struck with more emotions than he could identify. All five warriors still stood, a little weakly, but nonetheless. The human force was greatly dwindled, but they were still too large of a threat. Diego cowered for a moment at the sight of their spears; he had not yet finished combat training, and therefore was not considered a professional fighter, nor possessed all of the skills to fend for himself in a battle such as this. He shook his head and struck a stance, snarling loudly. Selecting a human, he launched himself out of the cave's entrance and began his own tussle.

His first, real, fight with an enemy.

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><p>Tamalia clawed and bit her way through he humans, losing track of whom she had hit and who she hadn't, losing sight of the males. She beat on anything in her sight continuously, the only thought in her mind being to protect her young. Diego was not ready to be on his own, should both she and Soto die, and the less humans she could see alive, the greater chance she had of possibly seeing her grandchildren. Even though Diego no longer needed a mother to keep him alive with warmth and nutrition, she knew he would grow up well with both of his parents. If anything, he really needed Soto to feed him and teach him the most important skills of survival. But she was the one to teach him how to find and care for love. And she desperately wanted to see him at least begin to recognize an interest in females other than herself.<p>

To see his smiling, determined face at that moment would have given her all the strength she needed. But she had to settle with imagining her son. Or so she thought. As her eyes took in the bloodstained landscape, the countless dead human bodies, and the occasional flash of orange that was one of the males fighting, she saw a fifth flash of fur. It worried her heart more than anything else in her life had. There were only five warriors; the four teenage boys weren't yet privileged to take part in an actual battle. There should only be flashes of four other sabers.

And then, as she fought her way through the mass of death, she saw something that stopped her heart. There, atop the body of yet another dead human, stood Diego, his paws and muzzle dripping with blood. His sabers, which had previously been a pure white, were now stained with the blood of his first, personal kill. She stood frozen in awe. Diego locked eyes with her, and he smiled. She couldn't help but smile back. He had made his own first successful kill, at thirteen. Her eyes suddenly widened, and she lunged forward. Not to embrace her son amidst the confusion and noise, but to save his life. She winced and gave a low moan as the spearhead stabbed into her ribs, causing her to fall to the ground limp, panting. The human was fended off by her son, but it wasn't long before he returned. Two kills? Her son was amazing. She opened her eyes to look into his emerald ones. He stared down at her with worry and horror. She barely heard him say, "Momma..." She feebly reached one paw up and held his face as her vision began to fade.

"Diego..." she spoke in a whispery voice. "My baby...I love you." Diego took one of his paws and wrapped it around hers.

"I love you too Momma." he whispered back. "Please, please don't leave me! I'm sorry, this is my fault!"

"No Diego. You wanted to help. I know you did. If I wasn't the mother I am, I would have let you die." she soothed. Tears streamed down his face, and she weakly wiped them away. "Listen to me sweetheart." she said. "Some things seem smart, and it's easy to fall to temptation. But... the right thing will _always_ prevail you in the end." She tapped his temple. "Rely on this every day." she said, and then placed her paw on his chest, "But always trust and follow _this_." she advised. Diego nodded.

"I will Momma." he replied. She smiled and pulled his head down to hers. She licked his forehead and kissed his cheek, before nuzzling his face with hers.

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><p>Diego held his mother's head close, nuzzling her back. She was too precious for him to lose. Would she have died anyway, even if he had not tried to engage in the fight? He glanced up at the battle, now coming to a closing. He licked his mother's cheek, and allowed his tears to fall onto her forehead. "Momma, I love you! I can't lose you! Please." he begged.<p>

"I love you too, Diego. So very much." Her voice was barely more than a whisper. Diego held her close as tightly as he could. He felt her take in a large breath, then let out a long sigh. There were none to follow it. He opened his eyes and looked at her spear wound.

It flowed with her blood, and her inner flesh was visible. He looked back at her face. Nothing moved. Her nostrils were not expanding or contracting, neither was her throat. He felt his eyes well up with tears. "No." he whispered. "Momma."

He sniffled and let out a tiny sob. "Momma!" he shouted. Squeezing his eyes shut, he wrapped his forelegs around her neck, holding her close, sobbing into her neck fur. This couldn't be happening; his mother and father were everything to him, to lose one of them was a half death. He did not care that the remaining warriors were now padding over to see what was wrong, and that everyone was coming out of their dens, at first to celebrate their victory. He did not spare his father a glance as he continued to mourn. "Diego?" He didn't reply. "Diego...what happened?" Still nothing. He heard his father sigh, and felt a large paw stroke his neck.

* * *

><p>Soto stared mourning down at his mate. Tamalia, even in death, still looked beautiful. He bent down and pressed his nose to her forehead, and held it there for a while. The pack mourned her for months after that, but none more than Diego or Soto. Both refused to eat, drink, or sleep. Diego grew thin to the point that his rubs showed, which, for a time, snapped Soto back to normal. He tried for weeks to get his only son to eat, and once his body had returned to normal, Soto fell back into his world of mourning. Thankfully, he had encouraged Diego out of his own darkness, and the teen persevered to bring his father back to life as well. But he failed.<p>

* * *

><p>One calm evening, as his father sat looking up at the stars, Diego approached him quietly and calmly. He sat next to him in the lush grass, and stared up at the sky for a while. "Hey dad." he said quietly, finally glancing over at the adult saber. At eighteen, his frame had widened considerably, and he was filling out nicely into his new structure. But he was saddened by the fact that his mother had lost the chance to see him grow and mature, although he knew his father at least watched him, even if he was not interested.<p>

"Hello Diego."

"The sky is beautiful tonight."

"Yes, it is."

"Hey, um, I was wondering...maybe, tomorrow, you and I could go fishing together?" Soto blinked and looked over at him.

"Fishing?"

"Yeah, remember how you and I would always have a contest to see who could catch more? I thought maybe we could do that as, you know, a father and son thing." Diego smiled at his father brightly, hoping that he would agree. Soto sighed and looked at the ground.

"That sounds like fun Diego but...I think I just need to be alone tomorrow. I'm just a little moody; perhaps Disduro could take you." Diego's face fell in dismay. Disduro was Soto's fallback these days. If he didn't want to participate in an activity, he would always suggest they go ask Disduro. The poor Beta was slightly frazzled, trying to run a still slightly mourning pack, and raise three young adults plus one teenager with the last basics they would need to know before heading out on their own. Diego's ears lay back against his head sadly, and he looked away.

His father's continuous rejection stung him more than a stab to the gut, or a slash across the face. Sighing, he arose and left, his tail drooping dejectedly towards the ground. He finally reached his favorite oak tree, and leaned against it's trunk depressed. He sighed again, before he felt tears gathering in his eyes. Putting his face in his paws, he began to sob quietly. He didn't notice when Lenny approached him, or made any reaction when the saber lay a paw on his trembling shoulder.

"Diego? You okay?" he asked. Diego sniffled before replying.

"Lenny... he hates me!"

"What?"

"Soto...he won't do anything with me anymore, he won't stop mourning, he wouldn't even go fishing with me! He _hates_ me!" he elaborated, before bursting into tears once more. "He doesn't care any more!" Diego felt the older saber's large paw gently stroke his neck.

"Oh, I'm sure that's not it. It's just, he's really struggling. Sure, he shifted over to you those few weeks because he was more worried about you dying than he was sad about...her. Now that he knows that you're not in any danger, he feels like he can focus on his depression."

"So what, I should go back to those humans who tried to _mark_ me and let them hook a feather into me again? Will that make him snap out of it?" Diego asked in an ill tempered voice.

"No, I don't think you should do that. Although it probably would at least shift him back over for a while. But, in my point of view, he's running out of time anyway." Diego's sobs were reduced to sniffles, and he looked up at the other saber confusedly.

"What?"

"I say, if someone's mourning, give 'em a year, and then get 'em to move on. He will always harbor some sadness, but after a year, he needs to move on with his life." Lenny paused and gave a sigh. "Especially with how old you are now."

"I'm a teenager."

"You're _eighteen_ Diego. It's January; this June, you'll be two years old. And that is something Soto needs to be ready for. He should be ready to accept you as an adult in the pack and free to choose to go and stay with us as you wish. Moping around over..._her_ isn't good practice for that."

"But I won't be leaving immediately; it could be a whole nother year before I decide if I want to strike out on my own. Besides, it would take me a while to say good bye to him anyway."

"I know, but still. By the end of this month, he should be on the road to recovery from this depression he's submerged in. Try and help him."

"I've been trying!" Diego retorted in exasperation. "I've tried everything he used to do with me, but he always wants to be alone. And Disduro doesn't have any time for me, he's got you three."

"Have you tried activities that would normally include your mother?" Diego gave Lenny an incredulous stare.

"NO! Are you crazy?"

"Maybe, but I've heard that it works, sometimes."

"Oh, yeah, _sometimes_! Lenny, face it! My father is...he's not...he won't...he can't...he just doesn't care anymore! Not about the pack, not about the humans, not about _me_!" Diego panted for a moment, then frowned sadly and turned away. "There's _nothing_ I can do to get my dad back."

"Well...just try something you haven't tried before." Those words stuck fast in Diego's mind. He glanced back at Lenny as the saber turned and walked away. "_All I've done is tried to get him to notice me... maybe, I should get him to think about...what he could do for mom! A memorial, a new law, vengeance..._" Diego's mind trailed off, and he slowly nodded to himself, grinning. "Vengeance..." he repeated out loud.

"I could get him to get over mom by him righting the wrong that was done to her!" he exclaimed, fisting one paw and hitting it into his other palm. "Yes, that'd be perfect! He'd so go for that! And once all is said and done...he'll remember me! He'll go back, somewhat, to being my dad!"

* * *

><p>The next night, Diego smiled as he strolled nonchalantly up to his father. Soto was sitting on his little overhang, looking up at the stars once more. "Hey dad!" he greeted brightly. His unusual cheerfulness caused Soto to turn in surprise and raise an eyebrow.<p>

"Hello Diego." The teen came and laid comfortably next to his father on the grass. The older saber stared at him for a time, before resuming his star gazing.

"So dad, I was thinking. I know you're upset at the humans about what happened." Diego said quietly. He watched his father's fur bristle momentarily. "And I thought that it wasn't fair what they did; just storming out here and taking our alpha female away like that. So you guys strode into their camp and _retrieved_ me! That's no excuse for them to perform such an act as they did." he continued. Soto blinked and turned once more to his son, now highly interested.

"Yes, quite true."

"So I was thinking; what if we took something important from them?" Diego's proposal was met with silence. "We could sneak into their camp and steal all of their rock tools and throw them into the ocean. Or, scare away their food source for a few months. They would at least suffer greatly from a lack of nourishment. Just as we suffered from a missing member." he elaborated. He gave his father a proud smirk, thinking he had truly come up with something that would bring his father out of the dark hole he was stuck in. Soto stared at him for a while, before a wide, mischievous smirk spread across his lips. He cupped one paw underneath Diego's chin.

"You know what son? I think that's a great idea. Perfect for getting my mind off of her passing." he said. Diego smiled with glee.

"Really?"

"Yes." Soto then placed his paw on the back of Diego's head, and held him against his chest." I'm sorry Diego. I was so caught up in doing only what I could think of to honor Tamalia...but I neglected something just as precious." He stroked Diego's neck for a while, before letting go of him and walking back to the pack grounds. Diego smiled for a while, watching his father leave. He wrapped his forelegs around himself.

"I did it," he whispered. "I got my dad back!" After making a few celebratory gestures, he raced to catch up with Soto.

* * *

><p>"I have gathered you all here tonight for an important purpose." Soto's voice boomed throughout the large, underground den that served as a protected meeting place. Every member of the pack was there, ready to listen to what their leader had to say. "It has come to my attention, through the ingenious of my only son, that the humans have been especially unjust to us." Diego sat a few inches away from his father as he spoke, glowing with pride. "Most likely, they came to us in an attack formation because they were angry that we <em>dutifully<em> retrieved one of our most important assets to the growth and thriving of this pack." he continued, placing a paw on Diego's shoulder. Low growls of agreement could be heard. "We have decided, my son and I that a counter-attack to this abhorrence should set the humans straight."

Comments arose from the small crowd, mostly suggestions on how to exert vengeance on the human tribe that had so forcefully taken their alpha female. "I alone, after thinking, decided that perhaps it would be more enjoyable if we toyed with them for a while. Little nuisances that disrupt and make living impossible for them, as Diego suggested." he continued. "And then, when they are at their weakest, and pose little or no threat to us in battle, we strike them as they did us! Not only unexpectedly, but this time when they have no defensive strength." Roars of agreement rang through the den. Soto glanced down at Diego, who smiled up at him proudly.

Soto chuckled and gave the teen a quick nuzzle. "Now," he boomed, recapturing everyone's attention and silencing their roars. "We must prepare ourselves to execute the first part of our plan. We will have an elite fore watch the camp for a week, and then, we will decide what first to inflict upon them."

* * *

><p>That night, Soto slept in the cave preceding his den for the first time in months. Diego was delighted that he would no longer have to sleep alone, and was eager to curl up against his father. Soto smiled and chuckled, before giving Diego's head a tender lick. "Are you alright, Diego?" he asked.<p>

"Yeah dad, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Do you need something?" It was a while before the teen replied.

"The taste of fish?" he asked hopefully. Soto chuckled and laid his head on top of Diego's for a moment.

"Alright then. If the taste of fish will secure your well being." he replied. Then he laid his head on his paws and went to sleep. It wasn't long before Diego joined him in the land of dreams.

* * *

><p>Diego glared down at the humans as they socialized in their camp. Even though their lives were going pretty tough, they still smiled and tried to make life seem easy. He smirked. "<em>Not after today<em>." As he watched them, he knew that Sonacka and Briseurio were busy driving the humans' main food source, a large herd of buffalo, out from their lands and into their pack's territory. They would be able to feast for months while the humans starved. He raised his chin and looked down his nose at them indignantly.

"_Serves them right; for killing my mother._" This thought caused his glare to return. He turned and began the long walk back to Half Peak. The human camp was a good ways out from his home, but it made him feel a little more secure at night, knowing that they had moved a safe distance away since he was thirteen. His father gave him the task of watching the humans constantly, reporting their reactions to the pack's taunts. It was a job he greatly enjoyed, watching them suffer so greatly. As he walked, his claws flexed out and left shallow marks in the dirt.

"_But not as much as we did. No, definitely not as much. Not yet anyway._" He shook his head and increased his walk to a steady lope, bounding over the frozen landscape to his towering, slightly warmer home. Once he reached the broken looking, half mountain that had been given the creative title of 'Half Peak', he shivered. The air was chilly, as it was now February, and any day now he expected a light snow to begin drifting down from the sky in puffy white flakes and stop harassing them with storms. All the more better for his pack's cause; without food or tools, or anything else the sabers chose to relieve them of, the humans would surely starve, and then, with luck, the whole camp would die from lack of food. Maybe lack of warmth, too. As he neared the entrance, he heard Oscar call out, "Halt!" He rolled his eyes and sighed. He could see the older saber quite well from his distance, and he was quite sure Oscar could see him too. "Who goes there?"

"Me, idiot!" he snapped. "Tell my father I have a report, and make it snappy." he commanded. A low growl reached his ears as the Beta to be turned and stalked away. Smirking in triumph, he entered the peak and observed Lenny and Zeke in heated argument over something he didn't care about, while Disduro attempted to doze on a nearby rock. His ears laid flat against his skull, and Diego saw him crack an eye open and glare at his two youngest sons in annoyance. He chuckled and, catching his father's scent, trotted up to the den they both shared. Oscar was just walking out when the cave's yawning entrance came into his sight.

Oscar released another low growl as he passed him, and Diego shrugged it off with indifference. He knew that all three of Disduro's offspring were jealous of him; even though he was the youngest child in the pack, he was the highest rank and still undoubtedly held the most maturity. And he would lead the pack someday when they were much older than himself. He took a mental note to prepare for subversion, should Oscar ever get any crazy ideas, and promised himself to watch them closely, before he was put into power. He entered the cave, and walked to the opening of the tunnel. "Dad?" he called down.

"Come in son." came the response. Diego crouched down slightly and crawled through the tunnel. It was still quite brand new, and the loose roots and uneven dirt surface irritated him greatly. In a few weeks it would be worn smooth, but for that to happen he would have to make due with its current self. The tunnel soon widened, and he managed to jump down into the underground cavern that served as a place to sleep during these cold, winter months, and sometimes during Autumn. He calmly approached his father, who lay on the ground on the other side of their commodious den. He sat in front of him and bowed his head respectfully.

"I have a report sir."

"Let me hear it."

"The males appear to be unfazed, as though they are encouraging the rest of their tribe to shrug off the complications. But I can detect worry in them. It radiates in moderate waves that I can smell even from my inconspicuous perch on the ledge." He raised his eyes to his father's. "I think we're definitely impacting them, sir. They haven't figured out _who_ is responsible, but I think they are suspecting other tribes of humans. Although that's almost impossible, since they are the only tribe in our area. But they do not suspect us." He smiled. "We are succeeding." Soto smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it appears we are. Very well done, son. By the end of the week, they should be showing some new results. But continue to watch them daily, just incase." Diego nodded.

"Yes sir." It was the end of his shift, hence the reason he had come home with his report. "Do you have something for me to do?" he asked. Soto shook his head.

"No, go entertain yourself until dinner." he replied with a smile. Diego smiled back and nodded, then turned and crawled back up through the tunnel. He happened upon Disduro, who had completely left the idea of a nap, and was listening to Mestura whisper animatedly about something in his ear, a joyful smile on his face. His eyes widened as she spoke, and a wide smile broke out on his face. He looked at her when she finished.

"You…you really mean it?" he asked. Mestura nodded eagerly. Diego trotted over to them leisurely.

"May I intrude?" he asked with polite humor. The two smiled at each other before turning to him.

"Diego…I have some news that would greatly interest your father." Mestura replied.

"Am I to relay them?"

"If you wish. I…I'm, going to have another litter." Diego blinked once, before a wild grin broke out on his face.

"Are you serious?" he asked excitedly, his tail wagging. The Beta female nodded.

"That's great, congratulations!" he said.

"Thank you." Disduro replied. "Mestura, I think I'll go tell the boys, perhaps you and Diego could relate the news to Soto?"

"That sounds fine, dear." Diego turned and led her up to the cave preceding his den.

"Dad?" he called down.

"Come in, Diego." After giving Mestura a happy smile, he crouched down and crawled through the tunnel. In a matter of moments, he stood before his father, with Mestura beside him. "Is there something going on?" Soto asked, raising one of his brows.

"Mestura." Diego said, nodding in his father's direction. She approached him, and sat for a moment.

"Sir," she said. "I have wonderful news."

"And what would this news be?"

"I'm…carrying a second litter." She replied. Soto stared at her for a moment, before a wide grin broke out across his face.

"Marvelous!" he exclaimed. "I trust Disduro knows already?"

"Yes, he is informing our boys as we speak." Soto smiled even wider and nodded.

"Good, good. We must prepare a celebration; Briseurio and Sonacka should have driven the buffalo to our territory by now. We shall bring a sizable number home on our dinner hunt." he stated. Diego licked his lips subconsciously. He had never tasted buffalo, but his father had; according to him, it was better than the caribou they regularly preyed upon. "Finally, after all our bad luck, we have the promise of new life."

* * *

><p>Diego's eyes double in size as he stared at the carcasses that his father and the other three adult males dragged into their designated eating area (when of course the weather was favorable.) He flexed his claws eagerly, ears twitching in anticipation of getting to enjoy such a taste promising meal. As the meal was laid in the center of the clearing, waiting to be proportioned, Soto raised his head and faced the eager onlookers. "My prestiged pack," he began. "You all have been informed as to why we feast so greatly tonight. Our last surviving female, precious Mestura," here the said female bowed her head humbly and blushed. "is due to have her second litter within this current year."<p>

A chorus of celebratory roars sprang up, including Diego's. "Our plan against the humans had gone perfectly, and now we have the promise of new members to our small pack. We eat tonight in victory and celebration, looking forward to our victories and blessings," he paused and looked at the ground. "and remembering, the reason why we have this meat. Why we are causing the humans to suffer. We remember our cause." he finished. There were a few moments of respective silence, as they remembered Tamalia.

Diego's eyes were filled with mourning, for a single moment, as he remembered the unfair, early death to his beloved mother. "To our victory!" Soto called, and received several roars in reply. And then, the greatest, most taste bud refreshing meal Diego could ever remember commenced. He could not clearly remember the very beginning ,as they all rushed and the portions were split, with Mestura receiving a large helping for the cub or cubs. But once all was finished and everyone settled down with their food, loud chatter arose accompanying the sound of tearing flesh. Diego took a nice, large bite of the bison, and his mouth watered. He chewed it slowly, savoring the succulent flavor.

It was unlike anything he had ever tasted in his life. Without any thought towards conversation, he eagerly wolfed down the large hunk, murmuring in contentment with dreamy looks passing over his face. When he had finally gotten to the point where he could happily gnaw on the giant bone that remained, he looked around him at the small clustered group of partygoers. It would be a considerable bit larger after the cubs came. Even if it was one cub, that would up the number of members. He smiled at Mestura out of the corner of his gaze; she needed new cubs to put a bit of spark back into her life. Tamalia had been her one source of female company, and without her, she seemed a little depressed.

If she gave birth to any female cubs, then it would benefit her as well as the pack. "My, my Diego, have you been starving yourself?" His father's smooth remark caught Diego's attention and caused him to smile and give a small chuckle.

"It just, tastes so good. I can't believe we haven't hunted it in so long."

"Well, the only reason we could manage this was that our excitement at the prospect of some extra help lent us a little adrenaline." Soto replied gravely. "On a regular occasion, I would avoid hunting such large beasts."

"I doubt they were as dangerous as mammoths. Or as pertinacious."

"No, not by a long shot. But they could easily threaten a saber's life just the same. Never hunt on one your own."

"Yes father."

* * *

><p>Only a few months had passed, and yet the tension and excitement in the camp couldn't be tighter. Diego was but a month or so away from reaching the age of two whole years. Soto, now out of his depression, was silently eager to anoint his son as an adult, and Diego was eager to become one. However, Mestura's stomach contended greatly with Diego's age. It was already quite swollen, and extended to the edge of her chest. This was taken, to Soto's joy, as a sign that she would birth a large litter. But it was during this last month before Diego's adulthood began that changed the alpha son's course of life.<p>

Oscar, Lenny, and Zeke had responsibly taken care of their mother, and seemed to grow a lot closer to her as they waited for their new sibling to be born. Diego would sit and watch them be a happy family together many a time. On some of these occasions, though, it would tug a few tears at the corners of his eyes. At that point he would turn away from the joyous activities and seek out Briseurio or Sonacka for a good tumble, or even his father. Most often his father. The older saber's company would rid himself of the loneliness that threatened to plague his heart once more, although he sometimes longed to be a big brother. One day, as he went out to watch the humans, he noticed a large decrease in the amount of beings in the camp.

Surprised and slightly afraid, he turned and raced back to Half Peak. He launched himself into the center of their home not a moment before the ambush struck. Before he could utter a word to the shocked Oscar, humans from every corner of the camp burst out running, with spears in their hands and screams tearing from their throats. Without even flinching, Diego raised his head and shouted, "Protect Mestura!" In an instant, Disduro and his sons had herded her to the cave preceding their own den, but were immediately cut off by the humans. Diego jumped in front of the female and snapped along with the rest of her family. Briseurio and Sonacka were there a moment later, and the males had to fend of the alarmingly large number of humans alone. "_Where is my father?_" Diego thought distraughtly. He searched the clearing with his eyes, but couldn't find Soto anywhere.

* * *

><p>Soto sighed in satisfaction as he finished his lunch. He stood and turned away from the carcass, then padded to his mountain home. As he drew near though, sounds of a struggle reached his sensitive ears, and his thoughts instantly turned to his son. He had killed two humans at the age of thirteen months, yes, but that didn't mean Soto didn't need to worry about him. Picking up his pace, he sprinted home to find his pack - his son - being attacked by a relentless group of humans. Blood boiling in fury, he charged into the fray with a roar, and struck one human down in an instant. He fought his way through to his son, and stood in front of him protectively, snarling. He quickly took in the situation; they were all caught unawares, without any way to take shelter in their underground dens.<p>

Mestura was in the most danger, and she did her best to sit in her corner and rub her oversized belly fearfully, watching the rest of the pack defend her. They were close enough to her home cave that if she could escape out of the human's hold on them, she could get to safety. "Mestura!" he said, catching the female's attention. "I'm going to form a break in their circle. Make for your den!" he commanded. Mestura nodded, and gave her stomach one final squeeze. Soto snarled and made for on of the humans, pouncing on them and knocking two others away.

Mestura bolted for her cave, and Soto let out a sigh of relief as she disappeared into the darkness. But, not unexpectedly, two humans raced after her. Disduro diligently followed after them, along with Briseurio. Soto turned back to Diego, and watched as he fended off a trio of humans with Oscar and Lenny. Zeke was cornered by one of them against a wall. They were the last four, besides the two that had chased Mestura. Sonacka came in to help Zeke, and finished his attacker off.

But then, things took a turn for the worst. Two humans broke away from the trio of sabers and took down Sonacka before the saber could blink. Enraged, Soto pounced on one human and attacked its throat. Diego and Oscar chased off the other two, and then the five went to investigate Mestura, Disduro, and Briseurio. They entered to preceding cave to meet the horror of Briseurio's lifeless, bloody body. Continuing on, they found the two humans in the Betas' underground den. Disduro lay discarded off to one side, his body as lifeless as Briseurio's.

But the sight that stopped Soto's heart was the two humans and Mestura. The Beta female was crouched in a corner with a slit throat, heaving to breath and clutching her bleeding neck, while grabbing her round belly and staring up at the humans in terror. Soto gave an infuriated roar and instantly sprung into the action. He and the other four took the humans down easily, then Oscar, Lenny, and Zeke crowded around Mestura, hugging her and assuring her that all was well. But Soto knew all was wrong. Mestura looked up at Soto as he approached, with Diego flanking him. He had seen one mother die, and, from Soto's perspective, didn't want to see it again.

"Soto," she rasped. Her neck bled, her dark red blood seeping through the toes of her paw. "Soto I can feel them."

"They are moving?" Soto asked softly. Mestura gave a struggled swallow and a gasp.

"No...they are _dieing_." she whimpered. Soto's ears lay flat and he attemtped to sooth her.

"Sh, sh, it's alright," he replied quietly. Mestura shook her head.

"Soto they're _dieing_, with _me_. My life is leaving me, and it's taking their's too! I don't want them to lose something they haven't even been given!" She then broke down sobbing. "Their hearts are slowing, I know! They have barely begun to kick and they are dieing!" she cried. Her sons whispered soft, soothing phrases to her, telling her not to worry. But Soto knew it did no good.

A dieing mother, carrying a litter, was something no one could calm. Not until her last few breaths. As Mestura grew weaker and weaker, her sons became even more anxious and desperate to calm her. As she leaned against the packed earth wall, and heaved her last few breaths, she placed her paws on her stomach once more. "My babies," she whimpered. "I will not have them here. They will be born in a better place." she choked, and looked at her three mature sons.

"I love you, Oscar, Lenny, and Zeke. Be loyal and obedient to your leader-" and with those last few, uttered words, she closed her eyes and left her mortal body. Oscar, Lenny, and Zeke cried and hugged her, trying to wake her up in vain. Soto stood as a frozen statue, watching a non too dissimilar scene that had happened about a year prior. The humans had done this to them. Had taken their females away, had destroyed the pack, had left poor innocent boys motherless. He ground his teeth, seething with rage.

He wrenched his eyes shut, and lowered his head to the floor as a single tear dribbled down his nose. Why did the humans give _his_ pack so much grief? No matter how hard they tried to remain strong, the humans beat down upon them over and over again. They had taken his mate, his Beta male and female, two other warriors, and tried to steal his son. Turning solemnly, he calmly exited the den, and stood guard at the front of the cave. It wasn't long before Diego joined him.

* * *

><p>Diego felt his heart pound at Mestura's words. It horrified him to imagine what she felt; other lives inside of her own, dieing along with her. He subconciously placed a paw on his throat. And in that moment, he suddenly wondered if his mother's sacrifice really made that much of a difference. She gave up her life as Alpha female, a mother, a living, <em>breathing<em> creature, so he wouldn't have to lose his. But for what cause? Here he was, almost a full grown adult, as she had wanted him to be, watching the death of the pack's last fertile female and her unborn cubs. He had seen terrible things in his life, he had experienced so much heartache...had his mother made the right choice? Would she have lived even if he had died?

Would she have bore Soto another son to lead the pack? Would the pack have succeeded agaisnt the humans then? What was his life worth if he was simply going to see the death of everyone around him? Was it worth the fact that he might never have a mate, and continue Soto's pack on his own? That he might never have a little son or daughter to call him 'daddy'? As Mestura finally gave up the ghost, Diego turned his face away, knowing his thoughts were getting out of proportion for the current hour. His own individual life did not matter at this point.

The pack now consisted of all males, and that meant double trouble. Now there were no members to bear young, and if none were found in the next year or two, then his father's pack had little hope of succeeding past this point. He stood and exited the den, the Beta triplet's wails and desperate pleas ringing in his ears dully, his mind filled with a hazy picture of another female. Who looked a bit like himself, and had a nasty spearwound. As he approched his father, he felt his heart twist and squirm withing his ribcage. He winced; "_It's all the humans' fault!_" a voice whispered in his head. With each step he took, his heart seemed to ring tself out like a human cloth, tighter and tighter.

"_They're the ones who tried to _mark_ you. They _killed_ your mother, and now they've _destroyed_ the last hope for your father's pack!_" the voice continued. Diego stopped and braced his claws in the dirt, breathing heavily.

"_It's all true,_" he thought to himself. "_They've treated me like a common dog, left me motherless at a crucial age, and have...have..._" He looked up at his father's back, trembling with rage as his heart tried to constrict itself, panting through his teeth. "_They've committed a crime. A crime that deserves revenge...or death._" Diego's eyes flashed in the moonlight with an angry glint. "_I choose...both._"

His heart felt like a stone wieght in his chest, that threatened to pull his head down to the ground. But he wanted it like that. To remind him that the humans' suffering was the only thing that could right the wrongs they had commited agaisnt his father's pack. Against himself. Something felt different, about the way he walked up to his father and sat beside him. Something was different about the way he sat and looked up at the sky. But mostly, how he addressed the Alpha beside him. "Soto." He didn't spare his father a glance as he turned to look at him.

"Yes?"

"They deserve both."

"Yes they do."

"Will they receive as such?"

"Most definitely." Diego's claws dug into the soft earth as a rumbling purr vacated his throat.

"I can't wait."

* * *

><p>Diego snarled silently for a moment as he and his father stared down at the human camp. Their numbers were greatly dwindled, now down to only one female. "<em>As we once were.<em>" he thought. Only the humans were somehow one step ahead of them. The tribe leader, who's mate still lived, had recently birthed a child, and he was but a few months old. What was interesting was the fact that its birth had happened on the day of his anointing, something he took as a challenge from the humans. Which leader's son would prevail in this battle of survival.

He thought back to that glorius day, a few months prior to their watch now...

* * *

><p>Diego sat proudly in front of his father, able to pull off a proud smile despite the fact that they all were still grieving over Mestura and her unborn offspring. He was the only one who knew that Soto had cut her open after a respectful prayer of permission, so that if Oscar, Lenny, or Zeke ever longed to know what would have been born, he could tell them. One of the reasons Diego was the only one who knew was that only Alpha's had the right to do such a thing, but not to their own mates. That duty was handed down to the Beta male. Nonetheless, Soto wanted Diego to know the results were even more heartbreaking; three girls that would have been born perfectly healthy, and four boys of the same circumstance.<p>

Both of them had known that such news would have been too much for the Beta boys, and so resolved not to tell them right away. Mentally shaking off these thoughts, he waited for his father to procede as Oscar, Lenny, and Zeke formed a semicircle around them. All future and current Betas were required to see the anointing of their future pack leaders. Soto smiled at Diego, who was now only half a head shorter than himself, and placed his right paw on his son's chest. "Diego of the Strong Hearts, heir to the leadership of your pack, are required this day, two years after you were given life, in the hour of your birth," Soto said quietly, as the sun's rays beat down from the sky, barely radiating warmth to the gathered males. "To swear to your responisbilities as an official adult. To care for your pack, to enforce the saber law with a firm and just, yet kind and understanding heart, to mate for love, to take care of all your family."

"Do you accept these requirements to enter your adulthood, and swear to always do what is just and right?" Something tugged at Diego's mind, telling him something was wrong. But he pushed it aside. This moment was too important to be wrong.

"I swear." he replied quietly. Soto smiled approvingly and nodded. Then he extended one claw, and gently drew a shallow line along Diego's chest; it would heal in a week, give or take a few days. The younger saber winced for a moment, then regained himself. Soto mentally nodded his approval. He moved his paw away and nodded to his son. Diego repeated the action on Soto's chest, and then pressed his paw in his father's blood.

Soto pressed his paw to Diego's chest, and then they pulled apart. Soto took Diego's bloodied paw in his own clean one, and then pressed his own bloodied palm on top of Diego's.

"You are now officially accepted," he said, squeezing Diego's paw lightly. "As my adult son, heir to the leader of the Strong Hearts Pack, and a respectable adults in the sabers' world." He spoke proudly, smiling down at his son. Diego smiled back and then each bowed their head to the other. The three Beta's gave roars of celebration, and then the five sabers hunted down their lunch together as a full pack, with Diego leading. He was now accepted as an adult on his first official hunt, and took great care not to make any mistakes. They feasted on buffalo as the sun reached its highest point in the sky, as they hadn't since the announcmement of Mestura's second litter.

Diego smiled proudly down at his meal, proud that he had shown such exemplary skills.

* * *

><p>Diego sniffed lightly and flicked an ear as his mind came back to the present. He singled out the human baby as it attempted its first steps, but ended up falling into its father's arms. His heart softened for a moment, wondering what exactly his own first try at walking had been like. "Oh, look at the cute, little <em>baby<em> Diego." Soto nearly purred. "Isn't it nice he'll be joining us for breakfast?" he asked softly. Diego shook off his soft feelings and gave the human a half lidded stare of contempt, then turned to Soto as he spoke.

"It wouldn't be breakfast without him."

Soto continued, taking a half step forward, "Especially since his _daddy_ wiped out half our pack," his voice escaleted in anger. "and wears our _skin_ to keep warm! An eye for an eye, don't you _think_?" he asked Diego, his voice dripping with malice. Diego kept his eyes trained on the human camp, and slightly bared his fangs.

"Let's show that _human_ what happens when he messes with sabers." he replied, in a much calmer tone, but the implications of his statement carrying the weight of many sorrows. Soto turned back to the encampment.

"Alert the troops." he said, and Diego took it that he could only mean Oscar, Lenny, and Zeke. "We attack at dawn." Diego turned to inform the three older sabers of the plan that had finally come to a close with a set time. "And Diego," he stopped and turned slightly to his father. "bring me that baby...alive." Diego was slightly surrpised by the request, and confused. "If I'm going to enjoy my revenge, I want it to be _fresh_." Soto explained without stimulus. Diego nodded silently and waited a moment as his father continued to glare down at the happy human family.

"As you should, father." he replied. Then trotted off to Half Peak.

* * *

><p>When Diego arrived, he found Lenny and Zeke once again engaged in a pointless conversation, and he was temporarily transported back to slightly better days, when such silliness was allowed, and no one had specific instructions that they had better follow through with, or be in serious trouble. Sighing, he walked over and wacked them both in the back of the head. They both jumped and let out two startled yelps. "Quit mucking around you two!" he snapped. "Soto has finally set a time for our revenge." Both sabers instantly sprung to life, and gave him eager grins. Oscar slid out of the shadows in one corner and joined them composedly.<p>

Yet Diego could see the older saber's tail twitching. "We are to carry out our plan tomorrow, at dawn." he continued. "So everyone get to bed early and be ready when he calls us in the morning." Zeke's ears drooped.

"Awe, _dawn_? Why couldn't it be at dusk? I'm way more awake then." he complained. Diego rounded on the older but much smaller saber and gave a ferocious growl, coming almost nose to nose with him. Zeke gulped.

"Tell me Zeke," Diego said, taking a step forward, causing the other saber to step back. "Do you not _care_ about the members of our pack that have fallen?" he asked, forcing the other saber up against the cave wall slowly. "Do you not _care_ that my mother was murdered by those creatures? That your _own_ mother and unborn siblings were slaughtered in the most horrible way?" He was in Zeke's face, snarling and talking with a cruel edge to his voice.

"Diego." The addresser's vice was sharp. Diego turned slightly to look at Oscar. "Enough is enough." he said quietly. Diego turned back to Zeke and snarled. He gripped the older saber's chin in one paw and leaned to the side, turning the smaller saber's face so that he stared directly into Diego's eyes. The meek saber shuddered, pulse racing.

"Do you understand, Zeke, _why_ we are geting up so early in the morning?" he asked. Zeke swallowed and gave a nervous nod. Diego lightly tossed his chin away, and the saber retreated to his eldest brother's embrace. Oscar wrapped one foreleg around his brother and glared at Diego as he walked past them, out of Half Peak.

* * *

><p>"Something awful's happened to him." The words confused Oscar. He turned to Lenny with one raised brow. Lenny gave him a solemn, worried stare. "He's not that little boy who would willingly help his mother. Or the teenager who wanted quality time with his father. He's changed, Oscar."<p>

"We all have."

"No he's...he's been twisted inside. His heart had been chewed up and spit back out like a sour fruit. Something's wrong with him!" Lenny continued.

"And what do you suggest we do about it? He's currently second in command until he takes the pack over form Soto or goes off and forms his own, Soto's bent on revenge and it's driving us into the ground, we hold almost no power in this situation even though _I'm_ the official Beta, I mean what do you think we should do? Tell them to abandon the whole plan? You know they won't. Soto wants to avenge everyone that was killed, and separately avenge Tamalia, Diego lost his mother...he could at least consolidate with us! We lost our mother too!"

"But it wasn't the same, Oscar." The older saber was silenced. "We lost our mother as adults, fullfledged males. Diego was _thirteen_, he held his mother's body in his desperate, loving, teenage embrace as she left this world he still thinks her death was _his own_ fault!" There was a long stretch of silence. "You and I both know what a crucial age thirteen is for the young ones. You and I both know that it scars sabers for life when they lose a parent like that.

"And all three of us understand that getting Diego out of this rut isn't going to be easy." He stopped for a moment and shook his head. "Soto may be too far gone already. But we have to at _least_ get Diego out, so the future of the pack will succeed." Oscar met Leny's words with silent contemplation. While he was the oldest and most mature, Leny often spouted wise words and wisdom of hard thought that often proved true. And Zeke...well, Zeke had yet to show exemplary performance in an area other than great enthusiasm in just about everything he did.

Coupled with nervousness and almost omnipresent jitters. He sighed and hsook his head. "You're right Lenny, as per ususal. But how are we to go about such a thing?" Lenny shrugged.

"I guess we'll have to use our planning and streategic skills here." He chuckeld. "Something Diego always excelled in, if I dare say." Oscar smirked.

"So true."

* * *

><p>So, how was it? I know their are some spelling and maybe grammar errors here and there, but on the whole I think I did a pretty good job. Please review! I'm already working on the next chapter, hopefully there will only be one more after it. :)<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! I finally got chapter 2 up! I hope I didn't keep any of you waiting too long. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Diego stared in wonder at the mammoth. Manny, who had been opposed to this whole 'adventure' in the first place, seemed to suddenly care for this human child, as if it were his own. Perhaps, it was like the one on the cave drawing? Could that possibly be grumpy old Manfred looking so happy like that? Was that why he was so depressed? Diego continued to watch the large creature delicately place 'Pinkie' on his back, then he and Sid exited the cave. He turned to look at the paintings once more, and for once in his life, he finally understood what it felt like to truly feel <em>sorry<em> for someone else.

To know that there were in fact other animals, other _species_ that had shared his pain, and had their suffering from the humans' cruel hands, had lived in wandering despair and depression, just like he had. There were other creatures that he could possibly _commiserate_ with, who knew how he felt after the humans had laid waste to his life. He turned to leave, turning his back on the drawings, and an old phrase crept into his mind. A phrase, he realized, that had once been uttered by his mother, "_Weep with those who weep, and celebrate with those who celebrate. Stronger bonds cannot be formed another way._" It was one of her favorite proverbs, he remembered, and a twitch of a long overdue smile touched at the corners of his mouth. He stared at Manny's back as the massive being strode out into the sunlight.

There, right in front of him, was someone who could _willingly_ listen to him and understand what he had been through, who wouldn't try to cheer him up; this was someone who knew what others had gone through, and could weep with him. Over their lost, precious family. He blinked rapidly and winced as his retinas made full contact with the sunlight again, temporarily blinding the big cat. After shaking off the irritation, he bounded to catch up with Manny and Sid, and glanced every so often at Pinkie during their travels.

* * *

><p>They bedded down that night in a small cave that was really not much more than a spacious overhang. But it provided them with enough shelter for the night, and for that Diego was grateful. He agreed wholeheartedly with Manny that they had to get Pinkie out of the wind and cold. He was shocked at how much he had come to see the child as a living being, enjoying his exciting life and getting to travel so much, with such a strange pack of creatures. But he was mostly shocked by how he now thought of Manfred. He was more than a commiserating partner. He was Diego's life-saver.<p>

Only an afternoon before, he had risked his life, pitting himself against the boiling lava and rapidly melting ice...to save the very saber that was meant to lead him to his death. Diego had all day been deciding what to do about what he had sent to Soto by way of Oscar and Zeke. He just couldn't let the mammoth die like that now, couldn't let Pinkie be killed, in fact, _Sid_ was becoming more like a brother to him than anything else. A stinky, idiotic, klutzy, naive, brother who couldn't walk a couple feet without falling flat on his face. And yet Diego cared for him. He couldn't imagine what the sloth went through internally, knowing that his family abandoned him every year and tried to get him to leave. He acted ditzy and air headed, as though he had not idea why they would want to leave him.

But Diego could tell, deep down in the sloth's heart, he was sad. He wanted to weep, he wanted to explain what it was like, to have his whole _family_ just up and leave him like that. All of them alive and perfectly well...and they despised him. That word always made Diego want to wince. _Despise_; to have such a dislike for something, for someone. Sid was annoying, and he commonly wished the oversized fur ball would go jump off a cliff, but he wasn't a _bad_ person. He just wanted to let loose and be himself, but no one gave him that chance.

To grow and learn what was real and necessary, but the way he could incorporate himself into how he was supposed to act. As the sloth fell asleep in one of the oddest positions Diego had ever seen, he turned to Manfred. The mammoth was laying with his eyes half closed, and Diego could tell he was deep in thought. "Might I disturb your deep contemplation?" he asked jokingly, cracking a rare smile. Manny's eyes jerked completely open, and he studied the saber for a moment. Perhaps it was the smile that finally convinced him, but he began to talk all the same.

"I just...the cave drawings..."

"It was really you?" Diego asked quietly, losing his smile and giving the mammoth a concerned frown. Manny stiffened for a moment, before sighing and nodding.

"Pinkie is just so...so much like him. So full of energy and life. I...I used to...think I couldn't stand the thought of them, but..."

"But you got over it all." Diego finished for him. Manny nodded silently, the eyed him.

"How would you know about...something like that?" Diego lowered his gaze.

"Humans don't attack just herbivores, ya' know." he replied quietly. Manny said nothing for a while.

"You're a good guy Diego. A lot better than other sabers, in my eyes." Diego blinked and looked up at him. "Any other saber would tear this baby apart I'm sure...but _you_ have gone to great lengths to make sure it sees its father again." Diego was silent for a while. He _was_ already abandoning the thought of killing the baby as revenge for all that had happened. Would any of it really matter? None of the dead sabers would know of what they had done, and none of them, his mother in particular, would have _wanted_ this.

Would they? Diego stared up at Manny for a while, before cracking another smile. "Thanks. That...means a lot." he finally replied, before laying his head on his paws and looking in another direction. No, he decided. Especially not his mother.

* * *

><p>Oscar sat rigid in the middle of the clearing, pondering over Diego's words. He wasn't convinced that their plan of trying to threaten Diego marginally into abandoning the plan had worked, but Lenny had other ideas. "He's being desperate enough to promise a meal along with our revenge," he had said. "He feels intimidated by Soto, and must have some opposition to the plan for some reason." Oscar doubted it. If anything, he was probably growing restless, becoming more and more impatient to execute revenge on the people that had so unjustly killed his mother. He himself could feel his blood pumping faster with each passing moment, eager to tear flesh from bone, and at the same time disgusted that Soto would attack an innocent baby.<p>

Not to mention even a little angry with Diego. Lenny was right; Diego was different, he used to have a heart. But it was a tender, naïve heart that knew little. And it had been broken at exactly the wrong time. Although he couldn't put much blame on someone who had grown up thinking a beloved parent had died on their behalf, this was not like Soto's son at all. He was pulled from his thoughts by yet another excited comment from Zeke, "Ooh, hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo! I can't wait to get my claws in that MAMMOTH!" he exclaimed, jumping and causing his right eye to twitch.

Soto, who had just returned from a routine watch to see if Diego had yet returned approached all of them with his eyes to the ground, but anger in his voice. "No one touches the mammoth until I get, that, _baby_!" he commanded, before moving on, most likely to pace and think for a few minutes more before checking for Diego once again. Zeke stared solemnly at him with a drooping frame, until of course he was no longer looking at the mangy saber.

"First," he began, perking up once more, and Oscar rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna' slice its hindquarters into sections!" He got down on his belly and made left and right motions. "I'll put the white meat in one pile, and the dark in another!" he continued.

"Hey, knock it off, I'm starving!" Lenny said irritably. Zeke continued his rant, as though Lenny hadn't said a word.

"Next the shoulders. Occasionally tough, but _extremely juicy_!" he said, a shiver running down his body. His eye gave another twitch, which began to worry Oscar that his youngest brother really was going insane, whether it be from hunger, or emotion.

"I told you to _knock it off_!" Lenny, exclaimed, raising one of his paws. Before Oscar could make a move, Soto miraculously jumped over, grabbed Lenny's, paw, and shoved it to the ground.

"Save your energy!" he commanded loudly. "Mammoths don't go down easy." he said. He walked closer to Lenny, causing the saber to walk backwards in fear. "There's only one way to do it," Soto continued in a low voice, Oscar and Zeke joining him in an arrow formation. "First you have force it into a corner," Lenny suddenly backed into a rock, with no escape from the three sabers advancing towards him. "Cut of its retreat, and when you three have it trapped, _I'll_ go for the _throat_!" Lenny gulped and placed a paw on his own throat.

* * *

><p>As Diego, Manny, and Sid entered Half Peak, second thoughts really started to engulf Diego's mind. "<em>I'm leading a helpless infant, an abandoned sloth, and my life saver to a pack of hungry, revenge driven sabers who plan to eat them.<em>" The truth hurt Diego more than anything at that point. The guilt was so consuming, he felt sick. He glanced up at one of the rock ledges, and spied Oscar staring down at them. The saber was only there for a moment, before turning and stepping out of sight, most likely to report to Soto that he had finally returned, and with their food. He stopped, and looked ahead at the small tunnel of rock Manny and Sid were walking through.

It was the same entrance that Oscar usually guarded from above.

"Hey Diego, you frozen back there?" Manny's remark barely penetrated Diego's senses as his mind suddenly came back to normal. The consuming feeling of thirst for revenge had finally released its grip on his heart and soul; for he had found something new to have such care for, to want to protect.

"_I've made such a mistake,_" he realized. "_I…I can't let them die. They're my friends…my herd, my…family._" Diego then made a decision that changed his life as he knew it. He charged ahead and came up beside Manny, wishing that Sid was behind the mammoth instead of ahead of him for once. "Get down!" he commanded.

"What?" Sid and Manny asked confusedly.

"_Don't these guys ever listen to people?_" Diego thought in exasperation. "Sh!" he commanded. "Get down and follow me!"

"Hey, hey, what's goin' on?" Sid asked. Diego sighed and hung his head in shame.

"At the bottom of Half Peak…there's an ambush, waiting for you." he admitted.

"What?" Sid exclaimed.

"Whaddaya' mean _ambush_?" Manny asked. Diego saw his brows furrow as it all came together. He gave Diego a cold glare, and said quietly, "You set us up." His eyes portrayed the betrayal he felt.

"It was my job!" Diego defended. "I was supposed to get the baby, but then-" But then what?

"You brought us home, for _dinner_!" Manny accused.

"That's it, _you're_ outta'the herd!" Sid sentenced, pointing at him. Diego felt his heart ache.

"I'm sorry." He said ashamedly, lowering his head. Manny, in a flash, pinned him against the rock wall with one tusk, keeping Pinkie tight in his protective grip.

"Not you're not! Not yet." Diego was scared now.

"Listen," he choked. "I can help you."

"Stay close, Sid." Manny commanded, not taking his eyes off of Diego. "We can fight our way out." Diego knew, although his pack was small, it was still composed of deadly, brutal force.

"You can't! The pack's too strong!" he said, worry creeping into his heart for his new friends. "You have to trust me." Manny put more pressure on the tusk that was pushing against Diego's throat.

"Trust you? Why in the world would we trust _you?_" There was a moment of silence, and Diego had to agree with Manny. But he still cared too much about him to lose him. He owed him too great a debt to let him kill himself.

"Because I'm your only chance." he decided to say. He still had his pride. Especially concerning prey, no matter how important they were. Manny gave him a piercing stare for a moment longer, before stepping away and letting Diego drop to the ground rather painfully. He placed Pinkie high up on his back, away from the saber.

"So, what do we do?" he asked skeptically. Diego winced on the inside, but sat up and faced them all.

"There are certain strategic locations around Half Peak. Soto sometimes had us force prey into here at intervals and then bring it down."

* * *

><p>Diego internally groaned, and shifted his body. His skull pounded with a headache, and his ribs were on fire. Soto was much larger than him, and had a nice set of claws. He knew he wouldn't have survived the battle anyway. The image of his father's eyes; cold, uncaring, with a such a desire for food and revenge terrified him still. He had lost his mother physically, but he had lost his father internally. He let a few tears fall; his friends had left him, as he requested, his packmates were scattered, and his father was dead.<p>

He was all alone, dying in the snow, bleeding heavily. He felt just about ready to sob when he heard a faint moan. Ears perking up, he turned his gaze to Soto's lifeless body. Or was that the case? Struggling, he lifted hismelf off of the ground and limped over to his father's form. He nudged the body with his nose, and received a low moan. He was silent for a moment.

"Dad?" he whispered. The older saber flinched. "Dad...I...I'm sorry." he said, hanging his head.

"Diego," Soto's voice was hoarse and weak. The younger saber looked at father's face. Soto looked up at him with a blank stare for a while. "Diego...I'm sorry. I neglected you far longer than I should have...and I...I forgot what my real priority in life was."

"You were grieving-"

"I was wrong." Diego blinked in surprise. Rarely did Soto admit to mistakes "I just want you to know...that I'm sorry I turned so far away from you. That I love you." Diego felt moist droplets sliding down his face. He reached down and nuzzled his father. "You have to go."

"No...I can help you. They're safe now..."

"I'm dying Diego, look at me." Diego shifted his eyes to the icicles adorning Soto's side. "You're not like the rest of us, Diego." Diego looked back at his father's eyes. They were soft, as though they were looking at a small child learnign to walk, or playing around. Or snuggling agaisnt their father. For all Diego knew, that's what he was seeing. He smiled. "Go live your life. Your free life." Diego shook his head.

"But, you, I can't-"

"Yes, you can. You have no priority concerning this pack anymore." Diego felt more tears dribbled off his jaw. "We're over Diego. You can start anew." The thought appealed to Diego; a saber always had his pride, and with pride, they could do all they wanted. He had pride in protecting and fighting for what was important to him. Right now, that was only Manny, Sid, and Pinkie.

"I'll miss you dad." he said. Soto smiled. Diego nuzzled his father once more, and watched him close his eyes for the last time. He sat for a moment, and let his tears fall, everything running through his mind, his life flashing before his eyes. His mother, the humans, the pack, Manny and Sid, his father. He raised his head and looked at the sun. There were no remnants left of his pack, his parents were both gone.

And his friends were waiting. He looked back down at his father. Closing his eyes, he touched his chest, lips, and then Soto's chest, and made a slashing movement across each of his own cheeks. "_My beloved father, for all time._" he thought. A great weight seemed to lift off of his chest, and he smiled. Turning away from his father, the pack, his past, he faced the exit of Half Peak. Hobbling on weak legs, still bleeding, his head throbbing in protest, he made his way out of the mountain that had once served as his home.

By the time he had fully exited it, he was able to walk pretty well, with a slight limp, and his head had cleared. Although his side still burnt like fire of the worst heat. It wasn't long before he was climbing the last hill, and seeing Pinkie being carried in his father's arms. The tiny human was saying goodbye via the game Diego had taught him. As he removed his hands from his eyes, Diego covered his own for a moment, then uncovered them and waved goodbye back. Sid was wiping his nose in a rather gross way, sniffling, calling out to Pinkie repeatedly in farewell. Manny had already notice him, and was smiling in silent joy.

"Save your breath, Sid." he said. "You know humans can't talk." The sloth instantly perked up and turned around.

"Diego? You're okay!" he exclaimed.

"Nine lives, baby!" Diego called back. He was suprised to suddenly find that Sid, in his overexcited state, had run right up to him and knocked him over and the two went tumbling for a moment. When they finally stopped, and thankfully upright again, Sid proceded to give him a rather harsh noogie, squeezing the saber's head in a most uncomfortable fashion. Diego stood up as he finally let go, and let out a low moan. "_Can he _not_ see I'm covered with injuries?_" he wondered. Then, to his great surprise, Sid gave him a good sock to the top of his head. "AAAAH!" he screamed in pain.

Sid then grabbed the sides of Diego's chin and pulled it close to his own, still ecstatic that he was alive.

"I could _kiss_ ya'!" he exclaimed. Diego's eyes widened.

"_Oh, please _no_!_" he thought in horror. He could kiss his father, his mother, a sibling if he ever had one, but to receive a kiss from _Sid_? Before he could protest, Sid wrapped both arms around his neck and proceded to kiss all over the top of his head. Diego winced, unable to believe what was happening. Sid suddenly let go of him, exclaiming and sticking his tongue out.

"Ew, yack, ew!" He then began wiping his tongue vigorously with his fingers. Manny, thankfully, deided at that point to approach them and make conversation.

"Welcome back, partner. Want a lift?" he asked.

"No thanks!" Diego replied quickly, finally smiling again after Sid's whole ordeal. "I've gotta' save whatever dignity I have left." Sid then pointed both of his thumbs at himself, no longer upset at what Diego tasted like.

"Yer' hangin' out with _us_ now buddy, dignity's got _nothing_ to do with it!" he said, then looked up at Manny. "But I'll tae that lift." Manny lowered one shoulder to the ground so the sloth could get up on os back.

"Yeah, climb aboard." he said a little reluctantly. Sid launched himself up and landed smack in the middle of Manny's shoulders, pointing straight ahead.

"Yeah, pick me up buddy! Yee'ha, mush!" he exclaimed. Manny glared up at him. "Or not mush, either way." Manny rolled his eyes and Diego shook his head. Then they turned away from the humans and started migrating, following after the other animals that were already way ahead of them. For Diego, it was an new, exciting adventure with every step.

He was a new adult, starting life's great journy with the animals he held closest to his heart, and going on an annual journy that no saber had ever followed before. And he was sure, as long as Manny and Sid were by his side, he would thoroughly enjoy every minute of it.

* * *

><p>Diego glanced nervously forward and back. After three days of traveling, their little 'herd' had finally caught up with the migration. At first, Diego kept to himself and no one noticed him, they only greeted Manny and Sid. For once, he was glad to be ignored. As long as he stay shielded by Manny's bulk, he didn't seem to make other animals feel threatened. They were on one side of the crowd of animals, and to their right was a large rock wall. In between this and his friend, Diego was virtually unseen.<p>

That is, he was until Sid decided to introduce him to an antelope he was talking to. "Oh, you haven't met my other buddy, Diego!" he suddenly exclaimed. Diego's heart plummetted to his toes.

"Um, Sid-"

"Diego, come on! I want you to meet Jeffrey here!" Sid encouraged.

"Sid, I don't think-" The sloth slid underneath Manny and pulled Diego out in front of the mammoth, causing the four animals to stop. "No, Sid stop! Stop! Please, this isn't goign to work the way you think it will!" Diego finally was shoved aside by Manny, causing him to land in front of Jeffrey rather ungracefully. He had only a moment to look up at the adult before a scream tore through his eardrums, casuign him to wince.

Jeffrey shot off through the crowd.

"Gangway! SABER! SABER!" he shouted. Diego looked at Manny in exasperation.

"What was that for?" Manny shrugged, then smirked.

"Just figured I'd help you guys out. They all need to get used to you anyway." he said, walking past them. Diego turned to Sid, and gave him a glare coupled with a low growl. Sid cowered, and gave him sheepish smile. Sighing, Diego turned and followed after Manny, trying to ignore the incredulous stares he was receiving. Everywhere, eyes turning to gawk at him, whsiperes filling the air amongst other conversation. It wasn't long before there was a sizable patch of clear ground around Manny, Sid, and Diego, a rare sight during a migration.

The entire journey was aggravating for Diego, constantly getting picked on by the other creatures, or having the young ones come up and ask him random questions, or seeing most of the migration avoid Manny and Sid as well. That was what hurt him most; he didn't want Manny and Sid to suffer because of him. But he couldn't let that show, he was a predator. He was glad when they finally reached south. Or what the migration deemed as 'south'. Manny found them a large cave to stay in, near plenty of trees where Sid could collect firewood (he was still amazed that Sid had actually figured out how to make _fire_) and near the grazing grounds. Diego was confused at first; he didn't think Manny ate the short, stubby grass that smaller herbivores enjoyed eating, and wonder why they weren't near one of the overgrown areas where there was plenty of tall grass he could get at quite easily.

Then, he realized that that particular area was wonderful hunting grounds. Although maybe not forever, but still. He was surprised that his friends would have actually cared about his own food source. The first few weeks were a little difficult; all the other residents were skittish around Diego, therefore he did not even try to make friends and didn't hang around Manny and Sid very much when they were out. He spent his days sitting at home in the cave, always trying to come up with more efficient and less energy draining hunting strategies. Of course, that was a very hard thing to do when there was only one saber, and no nearby cliffs that he new of. In short, he kept himself busy with important tasks.

That was all he was really used to. It had been a long time since he had played around with someone, or spent time just having fun. The word was alien to him now. Although many a time he wished he could be out 'wasting time' with Manny and Sid. Then of course, they began to see Diego's problem as more than just trying to settle in after making a long journey that sabers weren't accustomed to.

* * *

><p>Sid blinked his eyes open and stretched, yawning loudly. Smacking his lips, he looked over at Diego. The saber, he had finally figured out, was basically afraid and had no clue about socializing with herbivores. He would gladly make conversation with Manny or himself, but he never ever went out of the cave unless it was to hunt, or to take a nap in a sunny glade somewhere. He sighed and stood up, cracked his back, and walked over to his feline companion. He tapped Diego's head. The saber flicked an ear and frowned, before cracking open an eye and looking up at him.<p>

"What?" he growled. Sid smiled.

"Morning!" he said brightly. Diego grunted and reclosed his eye, then shifted to a more comfortable position. "Come on Diego, get up! Please?"

"No."

"Why not? I thought you were an early riser." Diego cracked his eye open once more.

"I already got up at dawn and got my breakfast. I'm having my afternoon nap." he replied. Sid drooped.

"Oh. Well, how long does your nap last?"

" 'Till evening."

"What will you do when you wake up?"

"Get dinner."

"Then what?"

"Go to bed for the night."

"WHAT?" Diego winced. "But, you haven't done hardly anything!"

"Tell me Sid, what should I do?" Diego asked, reclosing his eye for the second time. Sid 's mind went blank.

"Um...well you could...ah...you could meet our friends!" Diego gave a great sigh. He didn't open his eyes.

"And are any of youre friends young and healthy or rasing offspring?" he asked.

"Uh, for the most part, yeah."

"And you think they're going to take one look at me and chatter the day away?"

"Sure, why not?" Diego's claws expanded threateningly, but Sid only gave a mere flinch of surprise. He had come to learn that, usually, such an action was down out of annoyance or anger, and not actual malice.

"Because," he drawled. "I'm a bloodthirst carnivore and I might decide that they're perfectly good snacks." Sid gasped.

"Diego, how could you say that about yourself?" Diego's eyes snapped open completely, and he jumped to his feet, turning to face Sid.

"Not in my point of view, you IDIOT!" he shouted. Sid took a cautious step back, expecting a possible outlashing. Diego stood for a moment, panting; he closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. He looked at him with forlorn eyes.

"Sid...not everyone had been through what we have. Not everyone is willign to get to know my good side. All they se is a four hundred pound monster that eats them and their kind. Not an actual creature with feelings or the ability to process thought." he explained. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have expected you to understand-"

"It's fine." Sid replied. "I know you're having trouble, trying to settle in and all. I don't think sabers normally migrate like this, so, you know I figured it was kind of a, social thing." Diego raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you think I would be social with other sabers?"

"Well, you enjoy talking with me and Manny all the time. Why wouldn't you like talking with other animals?" Diego sighed.

"I'm just, not used to it." he said. Sid smiled.

"Ah, that's alright buddy! I can teach ya'!" Diego chuckeld nervously.

"Ha, ha, yeah, I don't know about that." Sid clapped a hand on the saber's shoulder.

"Oh, don't worry! It'll be fun, trust me!" Diego sighed and looked away for a moment.

"Fine." he said. "Let's see just what you can teach me." He cracked a rare smile. Sid smiled back.

* * *

><p>So how was chapter 2? It probably wasn't as great as chapter 1, but I just figured I should have stopped it there. I know I hot the movie scenes mixed up and skipped over quite a few parts, but oh well. I really wanted to center around what Diego was thinking and feeling. I'll be working on Ice Age Pirates next, so be on the look out! :)<p> 


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